AUSTIN – Lt. Governor Dan Patrick announced Tuesday he’s encouraging the state’s 1,200 school districts to ignore last month’s federal directive over bathroom rights for transgender students.
It calls for allowing them to use bathrooms that match their gender identity, not what’s on their birth certificates.
Patrick has said previously that Texas is willing to give up billions in federal dollars for education rather than comply.
He also is asking Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for an opinion on the policy enacted in Fort Worth schools.
Patrick said he wants to know, “Did the superintendent have authority to unilaterally adopt this policy without adoption by a school board vote and without public comment?”
He said Fort Worth schools had a broad-based policy in 2011 against any type of discrimination against anyone.
“But this policy by the superintendent singles out just transgender students,” Patrick said.
At a protest outside the State Capitol, a group of mothers, said Patrick’s stance is putting their transgender children at risk.
“I’m here to tell Dan Patrick, you specifically you, are endangering my child’s life,” said mother Anne Elder.
Kimberly Shappley, also a mom of a transgender child, said they’re already seeing a backlash on social media.
Shappley said someone she loved posted, “If I ever see a guy in a dress in the bathroom with my kid, they will need a stretcher.”
“That’s your child they just threatened,” Shappley said.
Elder said when her child goes to the boys' bathroom, “Everybody is perfectly fine.”
She also said, “10-year-old little girls do not want to see my son in the bathroom.”
Texas is among 10 states suing the federal government over its transgender directive.